Material Removal from Inner Surface to Preserve Perception of Outer Surface Aesthetics

ABSTRACT

A veneer for a wall-mounted keypad may include indicia that are laser cut therethrough and that are representative of functions that may be performed by the keypad. The veneer may include a recess that extends into an inner surface of the veneer, proximate to the indicia. The recess may be shaped such that a perceived aesthetic of an outer surface of the veneer is preserved during formation of the indicia. The recess may for example have an organic shape defined by a curved outer perimeter that does not define any corners.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/169,683 filed Feb. 8, 2021; which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/826,947, filed on Nov. 30, 2017, now U.S. Pat.No. 10,917,988, issued Feb. 9, 2021; all of which claim priority to U.S.provisional patent application No. 62/428,228, filed Nov. 30, 2016, theentire disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Load control devices may be used to control the amount of powerdelivered from a power source, such as an alternating-current (AC) powersource, to one or more electrical loads. An example of such a loadcontrol device is a wall-mounted dimmer switch. Load control devices maybe integrated into home automation systems.

Home automation systems, which have become increasing popular, may beused by homeowners to integrate and/or control multiple electricaland/or electronic devices in their homes. For example, a homeowner mayconnect devices such as appliances, lights, blinds, thermostats, cableor satellite boxes, security systems, telecommunication systems, and thelike to each other via a wireless network.

The homeowner may control such devices using a central (e.g., automated)controller, a dedicated remote control device (e.g., a wall-mountedkeypad), a user interface provided via a phone, tablet, computer, orother device that is directly connected to a home network or remotelyconnected via the Internet, and so on. These devices may communicatewith each other and/or with a control device, for example to improveefficiency, convenience, and/or usability of the devices.

Dedicated control devices for load control systems, such as wall-mountedkeypads, may be manufactured to be aesthetically pleasing. For example,wall-mounted keypads may include faceplates and buttons made of metal,glass, or other materials to lend the keypads a luxury aesthetic whencompared to traditional plastic keypads. Such wall-mounted keypads mayinclude indicia that may be formed on front surfaces of the faceplateand/or buttons, for example, using a laser cutting process through aveneer, such as a metal sheet. However, the manufacture of such keypadsmay be problematic. For example, a portion of a veneer of a faceplateand/or button may need to be thinned to allow for forming the indicia inthe veneer via the laser cutting process. However, thinning a portion ofa veneer may cause deformation of an outer surface of the veneer. Suchdeformation may diminish a perceived aesthetic of a faceplate and/orbutton to which the veneer is attached.

SUMMARY

As described herein, a faceplate for a remote control device may includea faceplate body and a veneer that is attached to the faceplate body.The remote control device may be configured as a wall-mounted keypad,for example. The keypad may include one or more buttons that extendthrough an opening in the faceplate. The keypad may include one or morelight sources that are configured to illuminate at least a portion ofthe faceplate from within an interior of the keypad.

The veneer may be made of metal, for example. The veneer may include aplate portion that defines an outer surface and an opposed innersurface. Indicia that are representative of functions that may beperformed by the keypad may be defined in the plate portion of thefaceplate, for instance adjacent corresponding ones of the buttons. Theindicia may be defined using a laser cutting process, for example.

The veneer may include a recess that extends into the inner surface ofthe plate portion. The recess may be located in an area of the plateportion that includes the indicia. Formation of the recess may allow forthe generation of the indicia via the laser cutting process. The recessmay be shaped such that a perceived aesthetic of the outer surface ofthe veneer is preserved during formation of the indicia. The perceivedaesthetic may be a smoothness of the outer surface of the faceplateand/or a lack of deformation of the outer surface proximate to theindicia, for example. The recess may for example, have an organic shapedefined by a curved outer perimeter that does not define any corners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example control device, configured asa wall-mounted keypad.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the example control device illustrated in FIG.1 .

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the example control illustrated inFIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a veneer component of a faceplate of theexample control device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a section view of the veneer illustrated in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6A is a zoomed-in view of an example faceplate veneer recess,wherein the recess defines a first example inner edge geometry.

FIG. 6B is a zoomed-in view of another example faceplate veneer recess,wherein the recess defines a second example inner edge geometry.

FIG. 6C is a zoomed-in view of still another example faceplate veneerrecess, wherein the recess defines a third example inner edge geometry.

FIG. 6D is a zoomed-in view of another example faceplate veneer recess,wherein the recess defines a fourth example inner edge geometry.

FIG. 6E is a zoomed-in view of another example faceplate veneer recess,wherein the recess defines a fifth example inner edge geometry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 depict an example control device that may be configured foruse in a load control system for controlling one or more load controldevices and/or electrical loads, such as lighting loads, motorizedwindow treatments, or the like. As shown, the example control device isconfigured as a wall-mounted keypad 100 that may be configured tooperate as a remote control device of a load control system, forexample. The keypad 100 may include a faceplate 102, an adapter 104 towhich the faceplate 102 may be removably attached, and one or moreactuation members, such as buttons 112. The keypad 100 may include abezel 114 that may be configured to support the one or more buttons 112.As shown, the one or more buttons 112 may be arranged along alongitudinal axis of the keypad 100. The faceplate 102 may define anopening 106 that extends therethrough. As shown, the opening 106 may beconfigured to at least partially receive a portion of the bezel andportions of the one or more buttons 112, for example when the faceplate102 is attached to the adapter 104.

The keypad 100 may further include an enclosure 126 that is configuredto be mounted to a structure, such as within a wallbox that is installedin an interior wall of a building. The illustrated keypad 100 may beconfigured to control a load control device, such as a load controldevice configured to control an amount of power delivered to one or moreelectrical loads (e.g., one or more lighting loads) from a power source,such as an alternating-current (AC) power source or a direct current(DC) power source.

The faceplate 102 may include a faceplate body (not shown) and a veneer130 that is attached to a front surface of the faceplate body. Thefaceplate body may be referred to as a carrier portion, such as acarrier portion of the faceplate 102 or more generally as a carrierportion of the keypad 100. The veneer 130 of the faceplate 102 mayinclude a plate portion 132 and peripheral walls 134 that extend arounda perimeter of the veneer 130. The plate portion 132 may define anoutward-facing outer surface 133 and an opposed, inward-facing innersurface 131. The outer surface 133 may be referred to as a front surfaceof the veneer 130, and more generally as a front surface of thefaceplate 102. As shown, the plate portion 132 may define a flat,substantially planar outer surface 133. The veneer 130 may be made ofany suitable material, such as metal. The veneer 130 may be made ofsheet metal, for example, and may be formed by an embossing process, aprogressive stamping process, or the like. Alternatively, the veneer maybe made of other materials, such as, for example, plastic materials.

The plate portion 132 and peripheral walls 134 of the veneer 130 maydefine a cavity 138 that extends into a rear of the veneer 130. Thefaceplate body may be configured to be received in the cavity 138. Theveneer 130 may be secured to the faceplate body using an adhesive, forexample. It should be appreciated that the veneer 130 may be otherwisesecured to the faceplate body, for example via mechanical attachment,such as tabs, snap locks, fasteners, or the like.

The veneer 130 may have one or more finishes applied thereto. Examplefinishes for the veneer 130 may include satin nickel, antique brass,bright chrome, stainless steel, gold, or clear anodized aluminum forexample. It should be appreciated that the faceplate 102 is not limitedto the illustrated configuration. For example, instead of being disposedonto a faceplate body, the faceplate 102 may be monolithic, for instancemade entirely of metal.

The veneer 130 may include one or more indicia, such as indicia 140 thatare defined therein. In accordance with the faceplate 102 of theillustrated keypad 100, the indicia 140 may be words that are indicativeof respective functions that may be performed by the keypad 100, andthat may be invoked by depressing the buttons 112. The indicia 140 maybe laser cut through the veneer 130. For example, the indicia 140 may beformed during a laser cutting process. As shown, the indicia 140 mayextend into the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130 and through theveneer 130.

The illustrated indicia 140 include letters that form respective words.However, the indicia 140 are not limited to letters, and may include anycombination of alphanumeric characters, icons (e.g., symbols), or thelike. As shown, one or more of the indicia 140 may be underlined byperforations, such as slots 141 that extend through the faceplate 102.The indicia 140 may be representative of a command for controlling anelectrical load. For example, the indicia 140 may be representative of:a command message that may be transmitted by the keypad 100; of acommand that is executed internally by the keypad 100; of a result ofthe performance of a command; or the like.

To illustrate, the indicia 140 may be representative of predeterminedscenes that correspond to respective lighting intensities of one or morelighting loads that are controlled by the keypad 100. One or morecommand messages to invoke a corresponding scene may be transmitted bythe keypad 100 in response to one or more actuations of the buttons 112.For example, the keypad 100 may be operable to control the intensity ofa controlled lighting load in response to actuations of the buttons 112.The one or more buttons 112 may be made of a non-conductive material,such as plastic or glass, or of a conductive material, such as ametallic sheet attached to a plastic carrier.

Respective ones of the indicia 140 may correspond to particular ones ofthe one or more buttons 112. Each button 112 may be designated toactuate one or more operational settings (e.g., presets, scenes, and/orpredetermined light intensities) associated with a specific usescenario, such as “Welcome,” “Day,” “Entertain,” or “Goodnight.” Anoperational setting may refer to predetermined and/or configurableoperational parameters of one or more electrical loads, for example,light intensity, HVAC setting (e.g., temperature), window treatmentsetting, and/or the like. The specific use scenario associated with eachof the buttons 112 may be indicated, for example, by correspondingindicia 140 located next to the buttons 112 describing their associateduse scenarios, such as “Welcome,” “Day,” “Entertain,” or “Goodnight.”The keypad 100 may be configured to transmit RF signals in response toactuations of the buttons 112 to apply the corresponding operationalsettings.

The bezel 114 may be define one or more discrete openings that areseparated by one or more dividers 116, through which respective frontsurfaces of the one or more buttons 112 may extend. The keypad 100 mayinclude a yoke 120. The yoke 120 may be used to mount the keypad 100 toa standard electrical wallbox, for example, via mounting screws 127 thatmay be received through corresponding mounting holes (not shown) in theyoke 120. The yoke 120 may be made from a conductive material, such asmetal.

The adapter 104 may be configured to allowable releasable attachment ofthe faceplate 102 to the adapter 104. The adapter 104 may define anopening 111 that extends therethrough. The opening 111 may be configuredto receive at least a portion of the bezel 114 therein when thefaceplate 102 is attached to the adapter 104. The faceplate 102 mayinclude one or more attachment members that may be configured toreleasably attach to complementary attachment members of the adapter104. For example, the adapter 104 may define one or more tabs 109 thatprotrude from outer walls of the adapter 104, the tabs 109 configured toengage with complementary attachment features, such as correspondingresilient snap-fit connectors (not shown) of the faceplate 102. Theillustrated adapter 104 may include two tabs 109 that protrude from anupper surface of the adapter 104, and two tabs (not shown) that protrudefrom an opposed lower surface of the adapter 104. The adapter 104 may beconfigured to be mounted to the yoke 120, for example using faceplatescrews 123 that may be received through openings 124 defined by theadapter 104 that extend therethrough, openings 115 defined by the bezel114, and corresponding openings (not shown) defined by the yoke 120.

The enclosure 126 may house one or more electrical components of thekeypad 100, such as one or more printed circuit boards. The keypad 100may include an air-gap actuator 129, which may be configured to actuatean internal air-gap switch inside of the enclosure 126 through anopening (not shown) in the yoke 120. The air-gap switch actuator 129 maybe configured to translate along the longitudinal axis of the keypad 100to open and close the internal air-gap switch.

The faceplate body may be made of a translucent material, for instancewhite or clear plastic, such that when the faceplate body is backlit,light may pass through the faceplate body and reach an inner surface ofthe veneer 130, for example in a location proximate the indicia 140.Such light may be emitted, for example, from the interior of the keypad100. In accordance with such an implementation, the indicia 140 of theveneer 130 may expose corresponding underlying surfaces of the faceplatebody, such that the indicia 140 may be illuminated when the faceplatebody is backlit. The keypad 100 may comprise one or more light sources(not shown) that may illuminate the faceplate from within an interior ofthe keypad 100. The keypad 100 may include a light-guiding component 158(e.g., a light-pipe) that may be configured to control the transmissionof light from the one or more light sources.

The one or more light sources may include, for example, one or more LEDsand/or one or more LED strips. The number of the side-firing LED devicesmay vary and may not necessarily be related to the number of indicia 140defined in the faceplate 102. The one or more light sources may producelight of a single color or multiple colors. The light-guiding component158 may be configured to direct light transmitted from the one or morelight sources onto a target illumination area of the faceplate 102. Sucha target illumination area may comprise, for example, an area A_(ILLUM)of the faceplate 102 that includes indicia 140 that indicate the varioususe scenarios associated with the buttons 112. The one or more lightsources and the light-guiding component 158 may operate to illuminatethe target illumination area A_(ILLUM) uniformly or non-uniformly. Asshown, the target illumination area A_(ILLUM) comprises a rectangulararea that extends slightly beyond the indicia 140 and slots 141.However, it should be appreciated that the keypad 100 is not limited tothe respective illustrated geometries of the light-guiding component 158and target illumination area.

With reference now to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6A-6C, in an exampleimplementation of the faceplate 102 the veneer 130 may be formed from asheet of metal, such as steel, having a thickness TH1 of approximately0.016 inches. This thickness of sheet metal may allow the peripheralwalls 134 to be formed, for example using a stamping process. Theindicia 140 may be laser cut into the veneer 130, for example throughthe plate portion 132 as shown. The alphanumeric characters of theillustrated indicia 140 may be narrow, for example approximately 0.004inches.

In order to minimize the occurrence of splatter deposition (e.g., plungesplatter) on the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130 during cutting ofthe indicia 140 via a laser cutting process, a portion of material maybe removed from the inner surface 131 of the veneer 130. Mitigating theoccurrence of splatter deposition may preserve the aesthetic of theveneer 130. For example, as shown, a recess 136 may be defined thatextends into the inner surface 131 of the plate portion 132 of theveneer 130. The recess 136 may be formed such that the plate portion 132is locally thinned to a thickness that is thinner than TH1, such thatthe laser can plunge through the plate portion 132 without causingmolten metal to deposit on the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130. Forexample, the recess 136 may be defined by removing material from theinner surface 131 such that the plate portion 132 is locally thinned toa thickness TH2 of approximately 0.008 inches.

The recess 136 may be located proximate to the indicia 140. For example,as shown in FIG. 4 , the recess 136 may be sized to surround the targetillumination area A_(ILLUM). After formation of the recess 136, theouter surface 133 of the veneer 130 may exhibit minor deformationproximate to the location of the recess 136. The formation of the recess136 may act to relieve internal stresses in the material around theinner surface of the recess 136, thereby causing a slight deformation orbowing of the material around the recess 136. The slight deformation inthe area of the recess may be apparent to a user viewing the outersurface 133 of the veneer 130 for veneers of sufficiently thin material.This deformation has been observed for metal veneers having a totalthickness of less than 0.02 inches with a recess thickness equal to orgreater than 47 percent of the total thickness of the veneer, but it iscontemplated such deformation may also be perceptible to a user forveneers of thicker material and a similar percentage of recessthickness.

The recess 136 may be shaped such that the appearance of any deformationof the outer surface 133 is minimized. In this regard, the recess 136may be shaped such that a perceived aesthetic of the outer surface 133of the veneer 130, such as the smoothness of the outer surface 133and/or a lack of deformation of the outer surface 133 proximate to theindicia 140, is preserved during formation of the indicia 140, forinstance during a laser cutting process. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the recess 136 may define a substantially straight outer perimeterportion 135 that extends parallel to the opening 106 and a curved outerperimeter portion 137. The transitions from the straight outer perimeterportion 135 to the curved outer perimeter portion 137 may also becurved, such that the outer perimeter of the recess 136 does not defineany corners. In this regard, the recess 136 defines an organic shapedouter perimeter. It should be appreciated that the outer perimeter ofthe recess 136 is not limited to the illustrated geometry, and thatother organic geometries may be implemented.

If formation of the recess 136 causes deformation on the outer surface133 of the veneer 130, the curved outer perimeter shape of the recess,along with the lack of corners, may present an optical illusion to auser of the keypad 100 such that the deformation is visually lessnoticeable, for instance compared to deformation that includes straightlines and/or sharp corners.

The illustrated recess 136 may be formed by performing a chemicaletching process (or photoetching process) to remove material from theinner surface 131 of the plate portion 132 of the veneer 130. Thechemical etching process may be performed as a stepped etching process,for example. The geometry of respective inner edges of the recess 136(e.g., where peripheral surfaces and a bottom surface of the recess 136meet) may be controlled during the stepped etching process. For example,the stepped etching process may be performed such that the recess 136 isdefined with sharp inner edges 138 a, as shown in FIG. 6A. In anotherexample, the stepped etching process may be performed such that therecess 136 is defined with chamfered inner edges 138 b, as shown in FIG.6B. In still another example, the stepped etching process may beperformed such that the recess 136 is defined with rounded inner edges138 c, as shown in FIG. 6C. As shown, the inner edges 138 b may bereferred to as fully chamfered inner edges and the inner edges 138 c maybe referred to as fully rounded inner edges. In still another example,the stepped etching process may be performed such that the recess 136 isdefined with chamfered inner edges 138 d, as shown in FIG. 6D. In stillanother example, the stepped etching process may be performed such thatthe recess 136 is defined with rounded inner edges 138 e, as shown inFIG. 6E. As shown, the inner edges 138 d may be referred to as partiallychamfered inner edges, and the inner edges 138 e may be referred to aspartially rounded inner edges. Forming the recess 136 with chamferedinner edges (e.g., inner edges 138 b or 138 d) or rounded inner edges(e.g., inner edges 138 c or 138 e) may reduce the introduction ofdeformation on the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130.

It should be appreciated that the inner edges of the recess 136 are notlimited to the illustrated geometries. For example, the inner edges ofthe recess 136 may alternatively be defined using any size of chamfers,rounds, or the like in any combination. Furthermore, the featuresdefined by the inner edges, such as chamfers or rounds, may have asubstantially constant or varying size around respective portions of theperimeter of the recess 136.

It should further be appreciated that formation of the recess 136 is notlimited to a chemical etching process. For example, the recess 136 mayalternatively be formed using a mechanical process. After formation ofthe recess 136, post-processing may be performed on the veneer 130, forexample by heat treating the veneer 130. Such post-processing may relaxdeformation of the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130 introduced duringformation of the recess 136, thereby mitigating the visibility of thedeformation.

Metal veneers may have an internal grain structure that may formed byrolling or working of the metal veneer. For example, as a metal sheet iscompressed through rollers, the internal grain structure of the metalmay be realigned parallel with the rolling direction. It should be notedthat the grain structure referred to herein is distinct from anaesthetic or surface graining. The visibility of the deformation mayfurther be minimized for metal veneers based on the grain orientationwith respect to the material removal of the recess. A grain orientationthat is parallel, i.e., longitudinal, with the longest axis of therecess may have the least visibility of the deformation. For example,for a veneer as shown in FIG. 4 , a grain orientation in the verticaldirection (that is, along the length of the opening 106) may have areduced visibility of the deformation.

An example process for manufacturing the veneer 130 while preserving aperceived aesthetic of the outer surface 133 of the veneer 130 duringformation of the indicia 140, may include cutting the opening 106through a sheet metal blank and cutting the faceplate 102 from theblank, for example using a laser cutting process. The veneer 130 maythen be formed from the blank, thereby defining the plate portion 132and the peripheral walls 134 of the veneer 130, for example using astamping process. The example process may then proceed to plating theveneer 130. The example process may then proceed to formation of therecess 136 in the inner surface 131 of the plate portion 132, forinstance using a stepped chemical etching process. The example processmay then proceed to cutting the indicia 140 and/or slots 141 into theplate portion 132, for example using a laser cutting process. It shouldbe appreciated that example process is not limited to the describednumber or order of steps. For example, one or more steps of the exampleprocess may be omitted or performed in a different order.

It should further still be appreciated that the example material removalprocess and process for manufacturing the veneer is not limited toapplication to the veneer of a faceplate of a control device for use ina load control system, as illustrated and described herein. The methodsdescribed herein may be applicable to any monolithic surface which mayexhibit aesthetic deformation on an outer surface due to materialremoval from an inner surface, and is not limited to faceplates, metalveneers, or even surfaces with indicia. The example material removalprocess may be adapted for application to other components of the remotecontrol device, for example to define a recess in the inner surface of aveneer for a button of the remote control device. Additionally, theexample material removal process may be adapted for application to amonolithic component of a control device (e.g., a load control systemremote control device), such as to a solid metal faceplate that does notinclude a veneer, or a plastic faceplate. Moreover, the example materialremoval process may be adapted for application to components of othertypes of control devices (e.g., dimmer switches) and/or to otherelectrical devices. For example, it is contemplated that the methodsdescribed herein may be applicable for use in housings for cellularphones, laptops, or other electronic devices.

1. An electrical wallbox faceplate, comprising: a planar member having afront surface, a first thickness, and a rear surface disposedtransversely across the first thickness; at least one aperture extendingthrough the first thickness of the planar member, the at least oneaperture to accommodate a passage of at least one electrical device; anda recess portion formed in the rear surface of the planar member, therecess to reduce the thickness of the planar member from the firstthickness to a second thickness, the recess portion disposed proximatethe at least one aperture.
 2. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim1 wherein the planar member comprises a metallic material.
 3. Theelectrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein the planar membercomprises a metallized non-metallic material.
 4. The electrical wallboxfaceplate of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of an external edge ofthe planar member is downturned, extending from the rear surface of theplanar member.
 5. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 whereinthe at least one aperture comprises a slot formed through the firstthickness of the planar member.
 6. The electrical wallbox faceplate ofclaim 1 wherein the at least one aperture comprises a plurality ofapertures, each of the plurality of apertures extending through thefirst thickness of the planar member, wherein each of the plurality ofapertures to accommodate the passage of at least one electrical device.7. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein the at least oneelectrical device includes at least one electrical control device. 8.The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein the at least oneelectrical device includes at least one electrical status indicatordevice.
 9. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1, furthercomprising one or more indicia disposed on the front surface of theplanar member.
 10. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 9 whereineach of the one or more indicia comprise a plurality of apertures formedthrough the second thickness of the planar member.
 11. The electricalwallbox faceplate of claim 10 wherein each of the one or more indiciaare formed proximate respective ones of the at least one aperture. 12.The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein the recess portioncomprises a square edge recess formed in the rear surface of the planarmember.
 13. The electrical wallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein therecess portion comprises a chamfered edge recess formed in the rearsurface of the planar member.
 14. The electrical wallbox faceplate ofclaim 1 wherein the recess portion comprises a radiused edge recessformed in the rear surface of the planar member.
 15. The electricalwallbox faceplate of claim 1 wherein the second thickness is 50% or lessof the first thickness.